Shopping Center's Fate Still In Limbo

Elk Grove Village — After years of back-and-forth discussions and lawsuits, it is now up to the court to decide the fate of Grove Shopping Center, which village officials have declared blighted.

After filing condemnation proceedings against the shopping center in mid-January, the village attorney said it could now take one month to two years to settle the issue, as the village and the property owner prepare to defend their positions.

"It's in their court," said village attorney George Knickerbocker. "Both sides will be contacting and retaining consultants and advisers. . . . We just need to be prepared."

Knickerbocker said no hearing date has been set. "We're going to condemn the property," said village President Dennis Gallitano. "We'll tell the judge the value we're prepared to pay, and the judge will tell us if it's fair."

Last fall, village officials proposed a redevelopment agreement to avert condemnation proceedings. Gallitano envisioned building a new shopping center with a town square theme for the site at the southwest corner of Arlington Heights and Biesterfield Roads.

"We negotiated until the last moment and thought we had agreed on all the points," he said.

But shopping center owner Joseph Serfecz did not sign the agreement, prompting the village to try to condemn the site and make an offer for the property based on recent appraisals. Knickerbocker said Serfecz, in court, could argue about the fair-market value of the property or challenge the village on its authority to condemn the property.

"Everything is in the court, and I have no comment at this time," Serfecz said.